north greenwich stratford news may 2015
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Newsletter for London Underground train drivers at Stratford and North GreenwichTRANSCRIPT
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Pay Update
The pay offer from tube bossescurrently stands at 0.75% for 2015 and RPI for 2016. The RMT pay claim asks for a substantial increase and a reduction in hours in the working week. There is a big disparity in what we want and want London Underground is offering (or in real terms for 2016, perhaps taking away). London Underground now wants to take negotiations to ACAS. The RMTis debating howto proceed inresponse to thisinsulting payoffer.
Night tubeupdate
Bosses haveinsisted on negotiating Night Tube as a part of pay negotiations. They are offering us drivers a one of 750 payment which will come in three parts and is conditionally linked to certain targets. That would mean our working conditions changed for the rest of our careers -
maybe 20 years or longer - with more unsociable night work required of us; for just 750!
RMT Regional Organiser John Leach said These [working] agreements made life better for our members and of course are supported by thousands of RMT members and the other unions in the Underground. It would be wrong beyond measure to throw all that away for a night tube that no one's
funded properly or worked out the logistics of. Certainly not at the cost of our members work lifebalance, rights and agreements.
LUL also want a nostrike agreement in return for the unacceptable pay and nighttube offer. Talks are continuingand LUL has a long way to go tooffer something acceptable.
Stop press The negotiations are now deteriorating as LUL is trying to bypass the unions at company council. We'll keep you updated.
For train drivers at Stratford and North Greenwich depots
May 2015 Issue 37 www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/lultrains
Strike Ban ThreatThe Tory manifesto calls for more anti-union laws which could see tube strikes effectively banned. Around 24% of the electorate votedfor the Tories, yet they want50% of workers to vote yes for a strike to go ahead. A rewriting of democracy which would be near impossible for us to satisfy.
They'd also call for a minimum tube service to run at all times, restrict picketing, and reduce the time union reps get to defend members.
It is too early to say how
exactly the Tory's will attack
tube drivers; but If they do
succeed in their attempts to
stop us striking we will be
under a massive threat. We
already face 900 job cuts, all
ticket offices closing and
4.2bn of savings are
sought. Now, more than
ever, we need to prepare to
defend our jobs and our
futures.
RMT Demands Proper Pay Offer
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There is a new rule called OSN 118 which allows for trains running in passenger services with no direct contact with the controller due to a radio failure. This is obviously an unacceptable risk to the RMT.
H&S reps have had various meetings with LU on this matter and we have continuallyobjected to its introduction. As LU were intent on imposing this on us we have contacted our Head Office with a view to escalating the matter. You will be hearing more from our union on this in due course.
We understand that bosses arenow issuing this new rule and getting staff to sign for it, without understanding the change.
This is in breach of Rule Book 1, 5.2 whereby safety briefings have to be conducted face to face. It is also a breach of the PTOA, in our opinion, with
regards to communicating new rules and changes to drivers.
We feel this change is unsafe and we will continue to resist it. If you are unsure of what to do please ask a rep. RMT will always back you for doing the safest thing.
RMT Takes Action Against PMA Bias In Disciplinaries
The RMT have long been unhappy with the presence of PMAs in meetings as they usually take a role of a second manager. The issue was listed at Company Council where RMT has majority representation. We told LUL that we felt CDIs and other disciplinary processes were biased by the presence of a PMA. The RMT is now going to escalate our response - startingwith discussions in branches about how best to do so.
Nowhere Over The Rainbow
The RMT recently attended a meeting with London
Underground over the disputed Rainbow process that managementare increasing using - without agreement - to
try and punish drivers for beingunwell. The RMT has long beenagainst Rainbow and is now considering what further action to take.
Fed up of being left on the staff halt?
At a recent meeting with our new service control manager, one of the items raised was thefrustration of drivers on dead late turns being left at the staff halt. We asked that a stop be put on all trains at the staff halt after 2300 Monday toSaturday and 2230 on Sunday to resolve this issue. It was agreed, and we will be chasing it up to ensure it is happening.
Stopping Short?
We've asked management to fix the issue of trains stopping half way down a platform. If this happens to you please report details to a H&S rep so we can chase it up.
RMT Says No to 118
Pay Talks Strike Right Under Attack Say no to 118 PMA bias & more
Industrial reps Stratford: Peter North 07984 090860NOG: Mick McDonnell 07837 388648
Health & Safety repsStrat: Graham Stanbridge 07450 338294
NOG: Matt Minter 07764 613069
Branch meetingMeetings are held every payday at the Blue Eyed Maid in Borough High Street. (nearest Tube London Bridge). Our next meeting ison 10th of May at 1600.
All members welcome, please try and come along.